Combined picture machine and elevating support therefor



F. H. OWENS 1,803,347

COMBINED PICTURE MACHINE AND ELEVATING SUPPORT THEREFOR May 5, 1931.

Filed Dec. 3, 1928 INVENTOR Freeman H.0wens 'ORNEYS Patented Ma 5, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE FREEMAN H. OWENS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Application filed December 3, 1828. Serial No. 323,259.

This invention relates to still or motion picture apparatus and has-special reference to a combined still or motion picture machine and an elevating support therefor.

[8 The prime desideratum of my present inerator for elevating the camera to a relatively high vantage point as, for example, above the heads of a crowd of people, and embodying operating means for the camera which may be controlled by the operator at a point below said elevated vantage point.

A further prime object of the invention centers about the provision of a combined picture machine and elevating support therefor in which the elevating support comprises an article of dress which may be inconspicuously carried by the operator such, for example, as a gentlemans cane, the said cane embodying means for detachably receiving a camera ofthe pocket or other type.

Other objects of the invention include the provision of, a combined picture machine and elevating support therefor in which the elevating su port embodies an image finding means an particularly one of the periscope type; the further provision of an elevating support for the picture machine embodying a mechanism connectible to the exposure means of the picture machine and controllable from a point below the point of elevation of the picture machine; the still further provis1on of a support of this nature in the form of a hollow cane, the said cane defining a periscope and a casin for the camera operating control means; an the still further provision of a combined camera and one support therefor designed and constructed for quick assembly and use.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as will hereinafter appear, my invention consists in the elements and their relation one to the other, as hereinafter more particularly described and sought to be defined in the claims; reference being had to the accompanying drawings which show the preferred embodiments of my invention, and in which:

Fig. l is a vertical elevational view of the combined picture machine and elevating support of my invention with parts broken away to show the interior construction;

'Fig. 2 is a front end elevational view thereof with parts similarly shown; and

Figs. 3 and 4 are fragmentary views of parts of the elevating supporting structure.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings, the invention is shown to comprisea picture machine such as A and a support B detachably attachable to the picture machine A for elevating the same toa relatively high vantage point, the said support B defining astandard which may be grasped by the hand of the operator for moving the picture machine A to ascended position and for stably supporting such machine in the ascended position for the taking of a still or motion picture, the support B preferably comprising, as shown, a gentlemans cane.

The picture machine A may be a picture taking or projecting machine; and as illustrated in the embodiment shown in the draw-, ings, this picture machine comprises a portable motion picture camera embodyin a construction such as is shown and claime in my copending application Serial No. 313,312 filed October 18, 1928, in which the parts are spring operated and in which the operationis controlled by a de ressible finger piece or button 10 projecting fiiom the top of t 0 camera cas- 11.

e cane support B comprises a cane body 12 having a handle head 13 and means for attaching the bottom end of the cane to the camera casing 11, such means referabl comprising a cane tip 13 which is reversa ly receivable by a tappedbushing 14 inserted at the bottom end of the cane b dy, the said tip 13 having a threaded portion 13' receivable by the bushing 14 and being provided at one end with a cane tip proper 13 and at the other end with a reduced threaded portion 13 When the elevating structure B is used as a cane, the tip 13 is mounted in the cane body to serve as a cane tip as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, and when the elevating structure is used as a camera support the tip 13 is reversed in position as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the reduced threaded portion 13 being received by a tapped bore 15 provided in the bottom of the camera casing 11 as is clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. It will be manifest that when the camera A is assembled on the elevating structure B, the handle of the cane 13, may be grasped by the operator for moving the camera to an ascended position above obstructing surroundings, as for example above the heads of a crowd of people, the camera being thus in a position for taking a picture at an elevated point of vantage.

For permitting the operator located at the relatively low point of elevation to obtain the view receivable by the camera at the relatively high point of elevation, I provide finding means embodied in the elevating structure B, such finding means being preferably of the periscope type. To accomplish this, the body 12 of the cane B is made hollow and in said hollow are spacedly arranged the reflectors 16 and 17 to form a periscope finding means, the upper reflector 16 being arranged adjacent a view receiving opening 18, and the lower reflector 17 being arranged adjacent a sight opening 19. These openings 18 and 19 may be closed by means of hinged closure elements 20 and 21 respectively, each of the said closure elements being provided with a snap hook 22 which is received by an aperture 23 in the wall of the cane body 12 for latching the closures in closed positions. As will be apparent, these closure elements 20 and 21 may be readily moved from the closed position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings to the open position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings when the cane is converted into a periscope finding means and elevating support.

It is desired that theoperator located at the relatively low point of elevation be enabled to control the operation of the camera A which is moved to the relatively high'point of elevation; and to accomplish this the supporting cane structure B is made to embody means connectible to the operating button 10 of the camera exposure mechanism for controlling the operation thereof. This I accomplish by providing an operating means wholly supported by and preferably within the hollow of the cane structure B accessible 7 from a point near the head 13 of the cane B. This means comprises, in the preferred construction, a reciprocable rod 23 arranged within and at a wall of the hollow cane body 12, the said rod being provided at its bottom with a manually manipulable button 24 and at its top with a cross rod 25 to which is detachably connected a yoke member or strap 27 which fits over the camera casing 11 and the top of which strap seats over the depressible button 10 of the camera operating mechanism. For guiding the movement of the operating rod 23, the cane body 12 is provided adjacent its handle end with a slot 28 which receives the shank of the button 24 andis provided adjacent its tip end with-the opposed slots 29, 29 which receive the opposite ends of the cross rod 26, said ends detachably receiving apertures in the lower arms 30, 30 of the strap 27. The strap 27 may be made of resilient material so as to permit the arms 30, 30 to be resiliently maintained in position on the cross rod 26 and so as to permit 4 tion and this will cause the strap 27 to release the camera button 10 to the picture exposure and operating position.

The use and operation of the combined camera and elevating support of my present invention will now in the main be fully apparent from the above detailed description thereof. It will be understood that the camera A which may be of the small or pocket portable type, may be carried about the person of the operator and that the cane B may be separately carried on the person of the operator as an article of dress. It will be further seen that when the occasion arises for the taking of a picture above obstructing surroundings, the camera and the cane support may be readily assembled for optical and mechanical operative association. Itwill be further evident that the cane may be employed as a periscope finding means independent-of its association with the camera structure. It will of course be understoodv that while the invention is shown applied to the use of a motion picture camera, the same may be employed for the taking of still pictures and also for the projection of either still or motion pictures.

It will be further apparent-that while I have shown and described my invention in the preferred forms, many changes and modifications may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention, defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a camera including camera exposure mechanism, a standard decane to said picture machine, the sai tachably connectible to the camera and effective when attached to the camera for elevating the same to a relatively high point of vantage, camera operating means mounted on said standard, and means connecting the camera exposure mechanism with the cam era operating means of said standard.

2. In combination, a picture machine including picture exposure mechanism, a standard detachably connectible to the picture machine and efiective when attached to the machine for elevating the same to a relatively high point of vantage, picture machine op erating means mounted on said standard, and means connecting the exposure mechanism with the picture machine operating means of said standard.

3. In combination, a picture machine including exposure mechanism, a standard detachably connectible to the machine and efiective when attached to the machine for elevating the same to a relatively high point of vantage, operating means mounted on said standard, and means connecting the exposure mechanism with the operating means of said standard whereby the exposure mechanism may be operated from said standard, and periscopic image finding means in said standard.

4. In combination, a picture machine, a standard having a hollow body, means detachably connecting said standard to said picture machine, the said standard defining a means for elevatin the machine, reflectors spacedly arranged within the hollow of said standard and forming a periscope finding means for said picture machine, and means arranged within the hollow ofsaid body for operating said picture machine from a point below the elevation point of said machine.

' 5. In combination, a picture machine, a standard having a hollow bod means for connecting said standard to sai picture machine, the said standard definin a means for elevating the machine to a re ativel hi h point of vantage, and means arrange wit in the hollow of said body for operating said picture machine from a point below the elevation point of said machine.

6. In combination, a icture machine, a cane, means for detacha ly connectin said cane defining a standard for elevatin the machine to a relatively high point 0 vantage,-

and means mounted on said cane for operatin said picture machine.

In combination, a camera, a cane, means for detachably connecting an end of said cane to said camera the said cane definin a standard for elevating the camera to a re atively high point of vantage, and image finding means on said cane.

8. In combination, a

picture machine, a cane, means for detacha ly connectin an end of said cane'to said picture mac e,

standard, means for connecting said stand-= ard to said picture machine, the said standard defining a means for elevatin the 'machine to a relatively high point 0 vantage, and means mounted on said standard connectible to said picture machine for-o erating the picture machine from a point low the elevation oint of said machine.

10. In com ination, a picture machine having film exposure mechanism, a standard, means for detachably connecting said standard to said picture machine, the said standard definin a means for elevating the machine to a refiitively high point of vantage, and means mounted on said standard detachably connectible to the film exposure mechanism of said picture machine for o er-m,

ating the icture machine from a point ow the elevation oint of said machine.

11. In com ination, a picture machine having picture exposure mechanism, a cane, means for detachably connecting an end of said cane to said picture machine, the said cane definin a standard for elevating the machine, an mechanism for 0 rating said picture exposure mechanism inc udin means mounted on said cane and detachab y connected to said picture exposure mechanism.

12. In combination, a camera, a hollow cane, a cane tip for said cane comprising an element for attachin the camera to said cane, reflectors space y arranged within the hollow of said cane for defining a periscope finding means, and operating mechanism for said camera including means mounted on said cane and accessible at a point near the head of said cane.

13. In combination, a camera, a hollow cane, a .cane tip for said cane comprising a reversable element for threadedly attaching the camera to said cane, reflectors s acedlfy arranged within the hollow of sai cane or defining a riscope findin means, and 0 rating mec anism for sai camera inc udi means movably arran d in the hollow 0 said cane and accessi le ata point near the head of said cane.

14. A combined cane and machine su port comprising a cane structure, means t ere on for detachably receivingthe machine and means mounted on said cane structure adapt- ,ed for connection'to the operating mecha- IIS on said cane structure adapted for connection to the operating mechanism of the picture machine for actuating the picture machine, and an image finding means mounted on said cane structure.

16. A combined cane and machine support comprising a cane structure, means thereon for detachably receiving the machine, means on said cane structure adapted for connection to the operating mechanism of the machine for actuating the picture machine, and an image finding means mounted on said cane structure.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of- New York, this 13thday of November, A. D. 1928.

' I FREEMAN H. OWENS. 

